Blood Before Faction
by it'sSao
Summary: "Your brother wasn't very selfless. In fact, he liked to take and take." Natalie Prior says wistfully. "Caleb? Selfish?" Natalie shakes her head. "No, not Caleb. We never told you but your father and I had another child before you two. His name was Eric." AU—in which Tris is related to Dauntless leader, Eric. Eventual Four/Tris.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer. I do not own Divergence. This chapter will loosely follow the book. Any passages you see that are familiar are most likely not mine.**

"Your brother wasn't very selfless. In fact, he liked to take and take." Natalie Prior says wistfully. "Caleb? Selfish?" Natalie shakes her head. "No, not Caleb. We never told you but your father and I had another child before you two. His name was Eric." AU—in which Tris is related to Dauntless leader, Eric. Eventual Four/Tris.

* * *

My head is spinning. The room is spinning. Nothing makes sense to me. My mind relays the facts.

I am Tris Prior.

I am Abnegation-born, Dauntless-initiate. Divergent.

I am the daughter of Natalie and Andrew Prior.

I have a brother named Caleb.

On Visiting Day my mother came to visit me.

She confessed two important things to me:

One, she was Dauntless.

Two, I have another brother named Eric.

Eric. Cold. Ruthless. Calculating.

My Dauntless leader.

My brother.

—

"Mom," I say. "Mom, how do you know where we're going?"

She stops next to a locked door and stands on her tiptoes, peering at the base of the blue lamp hanging from the ceiling. A few seconds later she nods and turns to me again.

"I said no questions about me. And I meant it. How are you really doing, Beatrice? How have the fights been? How are you ranked?"

"Ranked? I say. "You know that I've been fighting? You know that I'm ranked?"

"It isn't top-secret information, how the Dauntless initiation process works."

I don't know how easy it is to find out what another faction does during initiation, but I suspect it's not _that _easy. Slowly, I say, "I'm close to the bottom, Mom."

"Good." She nods. "No one looks too closely at the bottom. Now, this is very important, Beatrice: What were your aptitude test results?"

Tori's warning pulses in my head. _Don__'__t tell anyone_. I should tell her that my result was Abnegation, because that's what Tori recorded in the system.

I look into my mother's eyes, which are pale green and framed by a dark smudge of eyelashes. She has lines around her mouth, but other than that, she doesn't look her age. Those lines get deeper when she hums. She used to hum as she washed the dishes.

This is my mother.

I can trust her.

"They were inconclusive," I say softly.

"I thought as much." She sighs. "Many children who are raised Abnegation receive that kind of result. We don't know why. But you have to be very careful during the next stage of initiation, Beatrice. Stay in the middle of the pack, no matter what you do. Don't draw attention to yourself. Do you understand?"

"Mom, what's going on?"

"I don't care what faction you chose," she says touching her hands to my cheeks. "I am your mother and I want to keep you safe."

"Is this because I'm a—" I start to say, but she presses her hand to my mouth.

"Don't say that word," she hisses. "Ever."

So Tori was right. Divergent is a dangerous thing to be. I just don't know why, or even what it really mean, still.

"Why?

She shakes her head. "I can't stay."

She looks over her shoulder where the light from the Pit floor is barely visible. I hear shouts and conversations, laughter and shuffling footsteps. The smell from the dining hall floats over my nose, sweet and yeasty: baking bread. When she turns toward me, her jaw is set.

"There's something I want you to do, she says. "I can't go visit your brother, but you can, when initiation is over. So I want you to go find him and tell him to research the simulation serum. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

"Not unless you _explain_ some of this to me, Mom!" I cross my arms. "You want me to go hang out at the Erudite compound for the day, you had better give me a reason!"

"I can't. I'm sorry." She kisses my cheek and brushes a lock of hair that fell from my bun behind my ear. "I should leave. It will make you look better if you and I don't seem attached to each other."

"I don't care how I look to them," I say.

"You should," she says. "I suspect they are already monitoring you."

She's about to leave. I can see it in the way she moves. The way her eyes glisten yet harden in resolve.

"Mom," I plead. "I'm desperate. I don't know when I'll get to see you again."

Her expression softens, and she pulls me into a tight hug. "Oh, Beatrice. You're making this so hard."

I say nothing as tears run down my face. I thought being put into Dauntless would set me free. I'm in more danger now than ever.

"Okay, let's go somewhere a little more private," she says. And leads me down a series of hallways, hallways that take me places I've been yet hallways I've never walked. They almost feel like hallways that are rarely taken. Secretive.

She takes me to the training rooms and briefly scans each corner of the room, and then looks satisfied. Before we take a seat in a hidden corner, she locks the door by putting an abandoned rod through the door handle.

The way she handles things... the way she acts, moves quietly, looks around, I can tell she's familiar with the place. She was Dauntless. She had to be.

"Were you Dauntless?" I blurt out.

She smiles at me knowingly, not giving me answer which in itself answers my question. As she sits down, she asks, "What's your first _real_ question?"

"What does it mean?" I start. "Being what I am?"

"It means you can't be controlled by one faction. You're unknown, and people don't know how to approach that. It scares people, and fear drives them to do dangerous things. Ask me a different question."

I stick to the topic. "Am I going to die?"

She sighs and looks at me with her hands in mine, or mine in hers.

The silence says a lot. "I don't want to," I whisper, like a confession. A dirty little secret. It felt wrong to say something so openly. It was unlike the Abnegation in me.

I look at her, feeling guilty.

"You can't let them know, okay? You are no longer bound by Abnegation, so indulge in this act of selfishness and protect yourself." She pauses as if contemplating something. "Your brother wasn't very selfless. In fact, he liked to take and take." Natalie Prior says wistfully.

"Caleb? Selfish?" I imagine Caleb helping the elderly when no one asks. Offering his bus seat to a Candor man. Scolding me when I didn't lend my jump rope to a lonely girl on the playground. I imagine the hidden books in his rooms. Staying late at school. Dropping his blood into a metal bowl filled with water. I try to erase the images out of my mind.

My mom shakes her head. "No, not Caleb. We never told you but your father and I had another child before you two."

What? _What?_

"His name was Eric."

I stay silent, shocked. I don't know how to respond to that.

"Shocking, I know. We don't like to admit this but your father and I were very selfish at this point of our lives." I almost laugh out loud at this. My parents are the most selfless people I know.

She continues, "We weren't married yet, and I was expecting. So we married after, but I was far along. We didn't want our first child to be born into a faction where he was talked about in closed doors and bedrooms. Abnegation may seem very selfless on the outside, but there are people inside who are not what they seem. The first year after Eric was born, we tried to keep him hidden. We succeeded, but we noticed that even if we were to take Eric out to the public, he wouldn't blend in right. We had old books in the house. He kept opening the books and trying to read it. Thick, heavy books. Not just the children books.

"He was showing signs of Erudite. We thought maybe this was due to karma. We indulged in a selfish act and were paying the price. Then there was this couple that your father knew from Erudite."

As I'm sitting there shocked, I wonder how my father knew people from Erudite. All these things I'm learning about my parents at this one time.

"He was Erudite-born himself. A couple that he spent many hours studying and learning with. They couldn't have children, so he reached out to them and they took Eric in. For the first few years, we visited each other in secret. Eric was growing beautifully and fit into Erudite well.

"After a few more years, the tension was beginning between Erudite and Abengation. We didn't want to risk it, nor could we afford anymore acts of selfishness. Your father had just recently got the position on the council. We tried to forget about him. We didn't talk about Eric again. We didn't settle on an agreement but we felt like we had to pay for our sins." She pauses. "I think about him too often." She finishes softly.

All I can think is that I have a brother who is not Caleb.

I don't have the heart to say what my mind is thinking.

Instead, I hold my thoughts for a moment and hug my mother. "Where is he now, Mom?"

"All I know is that he is no longer with Erudite. On the day of his Choosing Ceremony, he transferred."

Eric who is my Dauntless leader was Erudite-born. Is he my brother? I wonder if he remembers anything from his earlier years. Was he smart enough to detect his foster parents weren't his real ones? Was he smart enough to find out who his real parents were? Does he know who I am? Not Tris Prior, Abnegation-transfer, but Beatrice Prior, sister to him?

I thank her while she gets up and says she better leave now before we seem more attached than we should be. Before it seems as if I prefer her over my faction. My blood before faction.

* * *

The next week flies. Events that are so dauntless make the week pass by quickly, thankfully. I have no time to think about my newfound brother. Edward is stabbed in the eye (by Drew and Peter). He and Myra leave to become factionless. I go zip lining—invited by Uriah. I reject Al's show of affection, and I may have ruined that friendship. The first round of initiation flies by, and the second approaches rapidly. Simulations.

I'm running. Running on a deserted, dry field alone. Underneath a flock of crows cawing loudly, swarming the air above me.

I'm screaming. I can feel the pecks of beaks and sharp pangs of talons digging into my shoulder. I'm sobbing and saying something that sounds like I'm begging, and I barely have room to think. All I can do is feel. Feel pain and agony ripping through my body. I'm helpless to the attacks of the crows.

I try my hardest to swat them away, yet another flock comes for more, scavenging.

"Help!" I hear a voice, and then I realize that voice belongs to me. My throat is scratchy, vulnerable. My mouth is dry.

And then I hear another voice. Four's.

_You stay in the hallucination until you calm down._

_Be brave, Tris._

I'm trying. All I can focus on is the pain, and I can't control myself from breathing so harshly. I've been in here for hours. How much longer will I last? I focus on my thoughts and breathing. I breathe in and out, in, out.

And then I wake up in the metal chair.

Forget my breathing exercise. I spring out and gasp for breath. I can still feel the pecks of death from the flock of birds, and I try to rub the pain away from my body, to bring protection from future harm.

"It's over, Tris, it's over." Four reaches out to me, but in the process I swat it away.

As he explains fear and overcoming it and thinking logically, I focus on the feel of his fingertips on my back leading me out the back door, his warmth seeping through my shirt. I look at the warm smile on his face, reaching his eyes.

We walk side by side, and it almost feels normal, comfortable. I'm aware of his presence, sending me strength, and I inch closer to him.

Then he says something interesting. "It wasn't always like this, I'm told," he says, lifting a shoulder. "Being Dauntless, I mean."

"What changed?" I ask.

"The leadership," he says. "The person who controls training sets the standard of Dauntless behavior. Six years ago Max and the other leaders changed the training methods to make them more competitive and more brutal, said it was supposed to test people's strength. And that changed the priorities of Dauntless as a whole. Bet you can't guess who the leaders' new protégé is."

I can. The answer is obvious. But I can't bring myself to admit it out loud. Who else? Eric.

My brother.

I look at Four. "So if you were ranked first in your initiate class, what was Eric's rank?" I need to know something about my brother. What made him the way he is? What is growing up in Erudite, becoming smart yet arrogant? Or did something else change him?

"Second."

"So he was their second choice for leadership." I nod slowly. "And you were their first." Is that what set him off?

"What makes you say that?"

"The way Eric was acting at dinner the first night. Jealous, even though he has what he wants."

Four doesn't pry. I must be right. Truthfully, I'm glad he doesn't say much else. How else can I respond to my sudden interest in Eric? Just smile and laugh and say, oh nothing, it's just I've found out a week ago that he may be my brother.

So I sniff the remaining tears away, wipe my face one more time, and smooth down my hair.

"Do I look like I've been crying?" I say.

"Hmm." He leans in close, narrowing his eyes like he's inspecting my face. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. Even closer, so we would be breathing the same air—if I could remember to breathe.

"No, Tris," he says. A more serious look replaces his smile as he adds, "You look tough as nails."

That one comment warms me.

Nothing special happens the rest of the day. Peter is his typical self. He reads from an Erudite newsletter that slanders Abnegation, and Molly gives them an inside scoop of me as if she knows everything. Everything they say are lies. To get my mind off it, Christina convinces me to go see Tori who gives me another tattoo on my shoulder. It is a Dauntless seal, a circle with a flame inside it.

Christina convinces me to wear a top that shows off my shoulder and collarbone, as well as line my eyes with black pencil. I don't argue. I like the way it makes me look.

And, I think Four and I flirt a little by the chasm. His words echo in my mind, _You look good, Tris. _Even though he was intoxicated himself, and the expression on his face tells me he has no idea what he's saying, those words make it easier to fall asleep at night.

—

The next day, I'm no more prepared for my second fear simulation than I was for my first. I try to stay focused and practice controlling my breathing.

I open my eyes to my own reflection, yet it's faint. I reach out to myself and am met by a glass resistance. I look around me, finding myself in a glass box. I'm trapped in it.

My heart beats faster. I don't want to be trapped. Someone taps on the wall in front of me. Four. He points at my feet, smirking.

There is water at the bottom of the glass box. The water comes at a steady pace and by this time I am ankle deep in water with more to come and nowhere to go. I see my friends standing outside the box, laughing and pointing at me, watching me suffer. I see Four, standing there nonchalantly.

The water is at my thighs. To no avail, I try to pound my fists against the glass. The glass is thick but I think frantically that maybe I can break the glass. I keep banging and find myself throwing my entire body weight against the glass. It's not working, and the only thing I can think is _I__'__m going to die_.

And then I stop. I remember faint words about a simulation and something not being real, my mind, I control it. I slam my palm against the glass and I hear a crack. There's a line in the glass. I can break free. I continue with another shove, and then I kick.

I gasp, sitting up. Again, I'm in the metal chair. My hand reaches to grab my throat, and I still feel the pressure of it closing up with no air. Four stands to my right, but instead of helping me up, he just looks at me.

"What?" I ask.

"How did you do that?"

I look at him questioningly. "Do what?"

"Crack the glass."

"I don't know."

He pulls me up and out of the chair, half leading and half dragging me out of the room. We walk quickly down the hallway, and I demand what he's doing.

"You're Divergent," he hisses at me, dropping my arm.

I am shocked. Did cracking the glass make me apparent? Is this where I die? I recover quickly. "What's that?"

"Don't play stupid," he says. "I suspected it last time, but this time it's obvious. You manipulated the simulation, you're Divergent. I'll delete the footage, but unless you want to wind up _dead_ at the bottom of the chasm, you'll figure out how to hide it during the simulations! Now, if you'll excuse me."

He walks out, and I feel scared and nervous. My heartbeat is in my throat. I think of my mom who wants me safe.

All I know right now is that for now, I can trust Four. And for the moment, that's all I need.

* * *

That night as I lay in bed I find it hard to sleep. Coming into Dauntless has arose more problems than I thought possible. I think over everything I've learned in the past month.

I am Divergent. No one can know this, not even my friends.

My mother is Dauntless-born.

I have a brother named Eric.

One of my leader's name is Eric.

I think I like my initiate instructor, Four.

And the most important, I fear for my life.

The next few days and nights are spent in fear. Fear from being discovered, fear from my simulations. Fear is awoken in all of the initiates; it's visible when we're eating and our hands start to twitch and jerk. The way our conversation has died down. We get lost in thought, eyes wide.

When I come back into the dormitory, I notice a crowd huddled together. I wonder if it's Peter again, poking fun at me and my old faction. Instead, I find myself standing next to Will to get a good peek. There's a board with Eric standing beside it.

My heart leaps. I need to get a chance to talk to him without him biting my head off. I need answers.

"What's going on?" I ask Will, whispering.

"Rankings for stage two."

And I'm in the first slot, I realize. Once Eric flips the chalkboard around, I see my name at the top. Peter is second.

I'm happy, and at the same time, I'm scared. I could be the next Edward, eyeless. And suddenly I think about how my fear simulation aren't the only thing that will keep me from falling asleep.

Peter says something about how he won't lost to a Stiff. I faintly register it as I see Eric walk out of the room. I wonder how I'm going to approach him and get him to stick around to talk to me.

Will defends me, and when Peter storms out, Will is cautious and wary, asking if what Peter says is true. I want to laugh because Peter has done exactly what he wanted. Driven my friends away from me. But I protest. What can I tell them to make them reassured? If I tell them I'm Divergent, I'm dead for sure. If I say nothing, I risk losing my friends.

"She's not lying," Christina says, but her words don't support me the way they should. They make me feel weighted and heavy, and she also leaves the room, Will following after her.

It is just me and Al left in the room, and I think about his name in the last slot. I reach out to comfort him but touching seems intimate, the Abnegation in me, so I hesitate and drop my hand to my side.

"Al…" I begin, and he doesn't say anything, head in his hands.

"I just," he says. "I just want to be alone."

I nod, thinking that there is nothing else I can do to help him, and I walk out of the room as well.

—

Later that night, as I'm attacked by Peter, Drew, and Al, Four saves me. I am still in Four's apartment, laying in his bed as he sleeps soundly on the floor. I realize how thankful I am to him, and how I have much more to worry about than my rising feelings.

I think about Al, my friend, who attempted to kill me. My hatred for him grows at the thought continues. I think about Peter and Drew who are cowards, blinded by jealously.

I think about before my attack, hearing Eric talking to someone else. He's targeting Divergents. Me, possibly Four. I have yet to determine if Four is like me. If Eric is my brother, what does that change? Could he be searching for his real family? Does he know his Erudite parents aren't really his?

I sleep, surrounded by the smell of Four.

The next few days pass by in a blur.

When Al tries to ask for forgiveness, I tell him I will kill him if he tries to come near me again. And then later that night, he jumps into the Chasm and kills himself. Eric provides a speech talking about Al's bravery, which I find stupid. I don't know what to feel exactly. Relieved that Al's gone or sad because he was, at a point, my friend?

And Four offers relief by allowing me into his fear landscape which I accept gladly. I learn that Four has four fears, and his real name is Tobias. Tobias Eaton, son of Marcus. Abnegation-born. My head spins again as I relay the facts. The world seems so small. It seems so much more possible that Eric could be my brother.

When I go through Lauren's fear simulation as my final learning test, I transform her fear of kidnapping into my fear of Peter, Drew, and Al attacking me over the Chasm. Tobias stops it, calling me pathetic and I react. Something inside me snaps, and my hand shoots out and I slap him across the face. I run out of the room, out of the compound, and hop onto the next train and ride.

I eventually get off the train which leads me to Erudite and I visit Caleb, who seems to be a true Erudite as I see him, blinding by knowledge yet not being provided enough knowledge. I relay my mother's words to him, and he genuinely looks shocked and hurt to hear that she came to visit me and not him. I call him stupid and let him know that Erudite refuses to allow Abnegation into their compound. Then I'm talking to Jeanine who questions me and questions me, trying to figure me out. I suspect she already thinks I'm Divergent, and all I can tell myself is to be careful with my actions and my words.

When Jeanine allows me to leave, I arrive back in Dauntless with Eric waiting for me by the door.

I think to myself that this could be my chance to get some answers about my brother. Could it be him?

His still posture leaning against the doorway is enough to draw fear.

"Welcome back, Tris." He says after cracking his knuckles.

"Eric."

He slowly walks toward me, and he does a good job scaring me

"Have you never heard the phrase 'faction before blood'?"

I have seen Eric do terrible things. I have heard him say terrible things. But I have never seen him like this. He is not a maniac anymore; he is perfectly controlled, perfectly poised. Careful and quiet. For the first time, I recognize Eric for what he is: an Erudite disguised as a Dauntless, a genus as well as a sadist, a hunter of the Divergent.

"Were you unsatisfied with the life you have found here? Do you perhaps regret your choice?" Both of Eric's metal-ridden eyebrows lift, forcing creases into his forehead.

Before he can continue, I interrupt while I have the chance.

"Are you satisfied, Eric? Truly. Are you satisfied?" It sounds like I'm interrogating, and maybe I am, but I need to make him stumble and I need answers.

"Who do you think you are, _Stiff_? Do you think that you get to be the one to ask questions around here?"

"No!" I shout, alarmingly. I don't want to this to go wrong. "Please, hear me out. My mother visited me during Visiting Day—"

"I'm very tempted to call you a traitor right now, Tris." Eric states deeply.

"Wait, please, give me a second. I just have one question. Were you Erudite-born?"

I can tell I've pierced something in Eric's mask, but his recovery is quick that I barely see it. He laughs loud.

"What? Do you think I was originally from Amity? Maybe Candor?" He crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Don't humor me."

"Abnegation, possibly?" I whisper, looking directly into his eyes. He says nothing but stares at me with a blank face, trying to figure me out.

"If you say one more word, Stiff, I may be forced to consider your rank. Or, because you seem to be so attached to your previous faction…perhaps I will be forced to reconsider your friend's ranks."

"I," I begin, hearing a door start to creak open. "Am I right?" I say quickly.

He looks at me hard.

And then Tobias walks in.

"What are you doing?" He asks Eric.

"We've just finished," Eric responds. "I don't need your help, Four." He sounds more like the Eric I am familiar with. His expression changes like a switch he can turn on and off easily. Then he turns and walks out.

I've lost my chance of asking.

Then I think of the look on Eric's face in that brief moment I've caught him by surprise.

Or have I?

* * *

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer. I do not own Divergence.**

"Your brother wasn't very selfless. In fact, he liked to take and take." Natalie Prior says wistfully. "Caleb? Selfish?" Natalie shakes her head. "No, we never told you but your father and I had another child before you two. His name was Eric." AU—in which Tris is related to Dauntless leader, Eric. Eventual Four/Tris.

**A little bit of a time skip from the previous chapter. After this chapter, it'll probably stop following the book so much. ****I'm so thankful for all the love, guys!**

* * *

A microphone squeals somewhere, so loud I clap my hands over my ears. I look across the room at Eric, who stands on one of the tables with the microphone in hand, tapping it with his fingertips. After the tapping is done and the crowd of Dauntless is quiet, Eric clears his throat and begins.

In the brief moment of Dauntless becoming quiet, I think of the previous conversation I had with Eric a week ago and wonder if it's been on his mind like it has been on mine.

"We aren't big on speeches here. Eloquence is for Erudite," he says. The crowd laughs. I wonder if they know that he was an Erudite once, possibly even Abnegation-blood; that under all the pretense of Dauntless recklessness and even brutality, he is more like an Erudite than anything else. If they did, I doubt they would laugh at him. "So I'm going to keep this short. It's a new year, and we have a new pack of initiates. And a slightly smaller pack of new members. We offer them our congratulations."

The room erupts into pounding of fists on tabletops. The noise hums in my chest, and I grin. Proud.

"We believe in bravery. We believe in taking action. We believe in freedom from fear and in acquiring the skills to force the bad out of our world so that the good can prosper and thrive. If you also believe in those things, we welcome you." Eric finishes. Does he believe in any of what he just said?

I look at him straight on, looking for a reaction, a response of our last conversation but his gaze passes over me, over the crowd.

Eric explains that tomorrow the ten initiates will get to choose their chosen profession in order of rank, and I am shocked to find my picture and name next to the number one.

Eric makes eye contact with me for a brief moment. I can't help but smile even if it's in his direction. It may have been a trick of the light but I think I may have seen a smidgen of a smile back.

The moment is lost when Will's arms wrap around me in a bear hug. I can hear cheering and laughing and shouting. Christina's eyes are wide and filled with tears of joy.

"We've made it!" Christina shouts at me, wrapping me in a hug from across the table. I am too distracted to protest. Will and Christina are respectively in the number six and seven slots, and I'm glad they made it.

Someone grabs me from behind, in another hug. It's Uriah. I can't turn around, but I reach back and squeeze his shoulder.

"Congratulations!" I shout.

I stand up from the table, looking for Tobias. I want to share my excitement and joy with him too.

I see him across the room, receiving pats on the back for being a transfer instructor with four new members. The irony isn't lost on me. His gaze sweeps by them to me and smiles. I reach my hand up to wave but before I can get my hand up, I am blocked by a familiar figure.

When I look up, I see that it is Eric.

I am not sure whether to be fearful or excited. He isn't the Eric I met after returning from Erudite. He has his comical look now, and I feel a little bit at ease.

"Tris."

"Eric. What can I do for you today?" I say, starting out kind. I never really know what Eric to expect.

He nudges his head toward the door. "Follow me."

I hesitate for a moment. I'm too happy and elated to think negatively, that this may be my doom even though I am officially a Dauntless member. I think of Tobias and hope he doesn't think anything of the fact that I'm following Eric out the door. He may have answers.

Eric leads me to a series of hallways, we climb some steps, and enter an elevator. I realize, belatedly, that he's not taking me to my impending death. He's taking me to his apartment. His home.

Either he trusts me with this little piece of knowledge, or he's stupid—which is unlikely since he did grow up in Erudite.

When we get inside his flat, he gestures me to sit on the couch while he finds a spot on the wall to lean against, arms crossed. He looks relaxed but I can tell that there is a tenseness in the way his shoulders are angled, as if he is ready to spring up and attack at any moment's notice. I think this is the calm, collected, and calculating Eric. Frightening.

"Since Lover Boy interrupted our last conversation," Eric begins, and I assume by 'Lover Boy' he means Tobias—I don't interject. "I thought we could finish it here. Privately. No one will hear anything. No cameras. No mics. What is said in this room stays. Do you understand?"

I nod.

"Tell me what you know." He says.

I open my mouth, and then hesitate. I wonder how much I should relay. If I can trust Eric. What happens if he's not my brother? If I spill my parents' secrets to a stranger—an Erudite-born who could easily sell these secrets to his old faction, adding more fuel to the fire that is set toward Abnegation?

I look at Eric for a moment, studying him as he studies me.

"I am not Erudite-born," he confesses softly. "Tell me what you know." He repeats.

When I open my mouth this time, words spill out. I intentionally leave out a confession of me being Divergent. My real name is Beatrice Prior. I talk about my two selfless parents, my Erudite-transfer brother Caleb. I tell him about Visiting Day and my mother who tells me her secrets, my mother being Dauntless.

He laughs at that, surprising me. "Dauntless… it's in your blood."

I smile at that. "I guess so." I want to say yours too, but I don't.

I continue to say that she once had a son before Caleb and I.

"My parents weren't married, she was expecting, and she didn't want her son to grow up being teased or subjected to anything negative. For a year, they raised him in secret. My father was Erudite-born, and he knew a couple there that couldn't have children." I'm speaking slowly now. Unsure of how to say this right. "The boy the couple took in…his name was Eric. She doesn't know what's happened to him since she stopped visiting when he was five."

Eric is silent. He has a grim expression on his face, and then it goes away as he sighs and rubs his face in his hand. Idly, I wonder if that irritates his eyebrow piercing but I dismiss the thought.

Then, he gets off from the wall, walking towards me. I stand up at the sudden closeness.

"You should get back now, to your friends, to your Lover Boy before he starts to wonder." Eric says, escorting me out the door. "Remember, what is said here stays here."

"But you haven't answered my questions!" I shout, just as he pushes me through the door way and shuts it. "Eric!" I bang on the door with a fist. No answer.

I know he's listening, so I change the subject.

"Wait, I have something to say so just hear me out. I know that the number one rank initiate gets their top choice of profession…" I pause. "I don't want the leadership position, and maybe this doesn't matter to you but Peter does want it. But my friend Will really wants it, and he's smart and will do well as a leader. He thinks rationally."

I'm rambling, I think. He's probably going to ignore me.

"If there were anything you could do to help him out, it would mean a lot to me. And I know that there's nothing in it for you, but if you could think about it…that'd be great."

I know he won't answer. So I turn around and walk away. I don't feel defeated about the situation between Eric and I. I feel more determined to figure this thing out until the end.

* * *

When I return back to the Pit, I expect the liveliness to die down a little. But it has not. People are still celebrating. In the chaos, I spot Uriah who is drinking with his brother Zeke, Shauna, Marlene, and Lynn.

"Tris, hey!" Uriah shouts out. "Have a drink! Come celebrate with us." Uriah sloshes a bottle around, almost spilling it on Shauna who yelps. I'm sure Zeke must have provided it for him—although I'm not too sure if there are any rules against what age you can start drinking in Dauntless.

Lynn snorts. "He's had a little too much, if you can't tell. Just ignore him." I can detect the hidden 'too Abnegation to celebrate' but I don't feel hurt by it.

I smile at Uriah but turn him down as he throws an arm over my shoulder. I don't cringe from the touch anymore. This is my family now.

I turn to Zeke. He's Tobias' friend. He must know where he is.

"Have you seen Four?"

"Hmm, nope. He disappeared a little after the speech. I think Max wanted him for something in the Control Room." When I go to turn around and head that way, Zeke stops me, shaking his head. "Don't bother. It seemed important. I'm sure he'll come find you later."

He says the last part knowingly, albeit a little teasingly. I think Tobias has been talking to him.

Uriah squints his eyes. "Whasszat supposed ta mean?"

I laugh a little, and pick up his arm from my shoulder, patting it gently and putting it down by his side.

"Have a good day guys, and don't do anything too crazy." I say.

"We're Dauntless now!" Marlene shouts. "We'll always be doing something fun."

—

When I go search for Will and Christina back in the dormitories, they're nowhere to be found. I do notice that with the exception of me, everyone's belongings are packed up. So instead of going out to find them, I decide to pick up my things.

My clothes are hastily thrown in my small trunk-sized suitcase due to being hurried every time we have to get to the training room or an unannounced exercise. I take them all out and put them on my bed and then fold them back neatly. When I've arranged all my clothes to comfortably fit inside the trunk again, I start to clean up my bed. I don't have much belongings except a small photograph of my parents and Caleb that I've hidden from everyone. It's been tucked underneath my pillow inside the pillowcase.

I hardly have time to look at it, but now I can detect the lines around my mother's mouth and the soft smile she wears. An arm wrapped around her shoulder that belongs to my dad who holds her close by. A rare act of love they displayed for the camera. I'm on my mom's side with a faint smile, and Caleb stands next to my dad.

I miss them.

I can't afford to look at it any longer than I already have unless I want to start crying or someone catches me staring at members of my old faction. As I tuck it away into my truck, a shadow falls over me.

I look up and see the one man I've been wanting to see.

"Tobias!"

He smiles at me, opening his arms up for a hug. I all but run into it.

"Congratulations on number one, initiate." He says.

"Thank you," I say looking up at him, still wrapped in his arms. I feel like I can get lost forever in his embrace and forget every fear I have. "I learned everything I know from you."

"Flattering, but I'm sure you deserved it even without my teaching."

I stay silent, my cheeks feeling hot from the compliment, and I step away so we can sit on the edge of the bed together. Instead Tobias asks if we can go to his place so we can avoid people coming in and out of the dormitories and getting interrupted. Not a lot of people know about us.

He leads me through a series of hallways to get to the other side of the compound. Unlike the other apartments which are grouped together, Tobias has an apartment in a secluded area of the compound. It is nice, and I try to remember the way since the last time I was there I was incapacitated because three guys tried to gang up on one girl. I shudder at the memory.

"Why did Eric pull you aside after the speech?" Tobias asks when we've laid down on his bed together.

I don't want to lie to him, but Eric's words echo in my mind. _What is said in this room stays._

I swallow. I trust Tobias, but when he gets angry, there is a certain aspect about him that is frightening. He is like a bomb that will destruct anything in his path, and I can't risk not knowing the truth. The way Eric acted when I told him about my parents and my brother was not ordinary. He is hiding something.

"Leadership," I finally say. "I'm number one so he was telling me about the Dauntless-leader-in-training program. I told him I wasn't interested but I did put in a good word for Will. He really wants it."

"Hmm," Tobias hums. "Better him than Peter, that's for sure."

"And Max? What did he want you for?"

"It was strange. The cameras were hacked into and down for a bit after the speech." Tobias says. "So he asked me to look into it and turn them back on."

I wonder if it was Eric's doing, and if he turned the cameras off so we could talk. If it is true, Eric must have something big to hide. That only makes me more determined.

Before I can ask if he found out whoever did it, he shrugs, carefree. "Didn't figure it out. Probably a hardware malfunction."

When I give him a response, he gives me a sweet kiss. We spend some more time talking, and some time kissing. When I get up to leave to go back to the dormitories, he asks me to stay, and I fall asleep in his arms feeling safe.

* * *

I walk into the Pit the next morning feeling refreshed and anew. It is Choosing Day—except not into a faction, but into a profession. This will be my next job for years and years to come. Tobias already walks in before me and is sitting beside Zeke and Shauna, laughing at something they've said.

When I walk to the table, Christina and Will are already sitting there waiting for me. They look lovey-dovey, which I don't mind, but I hope they don't start kissing in front of me again.

"Hey, where'd you go after the speech yesterday?" Will asks as I sit down.

"Eric talked to me about leadership." It's a half-truth, so I don't think they'll exactly know I'm lying. "I told him I wasn't interested, but I put in a good word for you." I add. "Where did you guys go?"

"We knew you didn't want to see us kiss, so we left to go have steamy make out sessions somewhere else." Christina says, and I cough on the water I'm sipping. "I'm joking, Tris. Let go of, you know, all that stiffness. You're Dauntless now." She's teasing me.

I say nothing, but I know my blush is evident. If she knew that Tobias and I have been kissing a lot in secret, she would tease me endlessly. Even I don't know what to think of it, how far he wants to go, if he does…

"We actually went to the tattoo shop. I got a tattoo." Will says, holding up his sleeve with one hand to show a tattoo on his arm. It is the all-knowing eye symbol. Very Erudite yet Dauntless since it is a tattoo.

When I look over to Christina, I don't see anything visible. She smiles.

"I got my nipples pierced." She says, nonchalantly. "Will suggested it, so I went for it."

My jaw drops open but before I have the chance to say anything, I get a sense of deja vu when I hear the sound of a microphone screeching. It is Eric, standing on a table.

"Good morning. I'm going to get to the point because I know a lot of you are nursing hangovers from the celebrations last night." This is not anything far from the truth. I can spot Uriah groaning and rubbing his temples at a table beside ours. "Today our new members will be choosing their preferred profession. This is an exciting day for them, but I do have a quick announcement to make. Preferably we allow the top members a chance to receive training to become a leader. We have decided to approach it a little differently this year."

Wait. What? Did he actually listen to me as I stood outside his door?

"From a quick scan of our new members, we would like to offer this program to Peter, Uriah, and Will. From there, we will evaluate their abilities and pick the lucky winner."

I hear a squeal, and it's Christina who throws her arms around Will in a hug. He looks shocked.

I look at Eric, equally shocked, who stares back. I mouth the words '_thank you_' to him. He gives me a slight indication of a nod and then jumps off the table.

—

I'm in a small room seated at a table across from Eric. I want to say more things to him, get some answers, but the way he glanced in the corner of the room as I walked in tells me that although we are the only two people in the room, we are not alone.

This is similar to a counseling session. We talk, he gives me insight on possible jobs I might be interested in, tells me the details and acts of these jobs.

I sit there with my hands in my lap.

"What do you think?" He's asking me about a job guarding the fence. I don't like it. I think he knows this, he's just asking to ask. Maybe it's part of his job description.

"I was really interested in being an ambassador to other factions." I say. I miss my parents. I miss Caleb. This way I can see them.

Eric says nothing for a moment. For a second, I am reminded of whispered words in empty hallways he has said about capturing Divergents.

Then he speaks up, telling me about my duties. Even if I get mad and see red, I am an ambassador and cannot attack unless I want to be punished. I am to be respectful, calm, and sophisticated to get our point across.

He pulls a slip of paper out from a folder with my name on it, writes something down, and flips it around so I can sign it.

_OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR OF DAUNTLESS_

As I scan the words briefly, I sign my name in the slot that says signature. There is a spiel about trust and loyalty to the faction and if it were to be betrayed, execution is the punishment unless otherwise revoked by someone in leadership position.

When I hand it back to Eric, he takes it and slips it back into my folder.

"Be careful, Tris. With a job position like that…" He trails off. "You will be monitored more often than any other person."

He doesn't sound threatening. It actually sounds genuine, so I nod and move to get up.

"Thank you, Eric."

I know I would not generally receive this position. Eric is giving me some leeway. Someone who escaped Dauntless compound as an initiate to visit her brother in another faction is frowned upon.

"Hold on," Eric says, holding up a syringe. It doesn't look like the ones we normally use for injections.

"What is that?"

"We just need a blood sample. New protocol." He says curtly as I hold out my arm. His tone tells me I should shut my mouth and stop asking questions.

He draws a vial of blood and stares at it for a second.

Odd, I think. I have never heard of something like that.

This time when I get up to leave, he hands me a white envelope with my name written on the front and says I'm free to go.

—

When I get back to the dormitory, there's no one there. Since I am ranked number one, I get first pick, and I am the only one done. Peter will be next, and if I'm right, he will be done soon. It is not hard to imagine him declaring he wants to become a Dauntless-leader and get right into the program.

Thankful that I packed up earlier, I gather up the last of my things before Peter gets back. Then I sit at the edge of my bed, opening up the envelope Eric gave me.

When I open it, I find a key, a number, and a sheet of paper with crude directions.

As I scan the directions briefly, I realize it's a key to my apartment with directions to get there.

This is home.

* * *

When I walk into my apartment, I don't know what to expect. It is small but cozy. The apartment is fully furnished—well, with the bare essentials. There's a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom. I have a couch and love seat in the living room, a bed and dresser in the bedroom, a shower and toilet in the bathroom.

After lugging my suitcase into the bedroom with my small amount of clothes, I flop onto the bed. A self-indulgence I never got to do in Abnegation—the simple of act of jumping onto my bed. I throw an arm over my eyes and let my thoughts wander.

It's almost impossible to believe I am Dauntless now. I wonder how my parents are doing. I wonder how Caleb's initiation has gone. Caleb…who seemed to be submerged into Erudite's arrogance. I wonder if I seemed Dauntless-crazy to him when I marched over to Erudite compound.

When my thoughts wander over to Tobias and what he must be doing, I hear a knock on my the frame of my bedroom door.

When I see Tobias standing there, I smile.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Simple place. I like it."

I spring up from the bed.

"I can give you a tour."

Before I can make it past him, he stops me with both of his hands on my arms. He looks at me straight in the eye.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you so jumpy lately?"

There are an endless amount of answers to this question. I didn't realize I was jumpy. I''m one step closer to seeing Caleb and my parents. I'm another step closer to realizing the truth if Eric is my brother. I'm hiding that from you. At times, I'm scared to be alone with you because I don't know what you want from me. Sex? Love?

"You were an obstacle in my fear landscape. Did you know that?" I ask, and the conversation gets serious.

I almost feel the hurt that is reflected on his face. I explain that it's because I don't know what he wants from me. If he wants my body or my affection.

We talk, and I discover that Tobias wants me for me and he's on the same unknown page as I am. When we clear up that understanding between us, I hope, deep down, that that is a good enough explanation of my jumpy behavior so far.

When he leads us to lay on the bed again, I laugh.

"Is this where we are always going to end up?" I'm teasing. It's a way of me telling him that I'm okay, and someday I will get over this fear.

"My bed, yours, same thing." He shrugs, smiling.

When I put my head on the same pillow as him, facing him, I can see him clearly. He reaches a hand up to tuck my hair flyways behind my ear, and I can't help but close my eyes at the touch. Everything about Tobias makes my stomach swirl. It's a weird, but good feeling. Like butterflies in my stomach.

He's running his hands down my side, and I get sleepy from the sensation.

"What job did you choose?" Tobias asks me, and I hum, jolting out of my light nap.

"Faction ambassador."

Tobias copies me, making a humming noise himself as if in deep thought. I open my eyes.

"It's interesting." He says.

"What?"

"You live on the glass floor above the pit. Sure, government jobs live in this sector. This particular floor though is a high-ranked level. You needed a code to open the elevator door to stop at this floor and a code for the stairs too."

"I guess I wasn't thinking. I thought the security was all like that above the pit."

"I only know the code, because I work in the control room. You probably wouldn't know, but this is the same floor that Eric lives on." I didn't notice, but I did know. I feel a little guilt at keeping secrets from Tobias.

He continues, "He's at the other end of the hallway. Although your apartment is a lot smaller…" He trails off. "I'm rambling. It's probably not a big deal. They might not have enough room across the pit."

"It's probably not." I agree. "Besides, I'll probably be spending a lot of time at your apartment anyway. Everyone's there. Across the pit. Will, Christina, Uriah, everyone." I pause, smiling. "And of course, you."

He kisses me softly.

Idly, I think that it really isn't a big deal. I have a government job. But to an extent, Tobias is right. It is interesting, and I'm pretty sure on this floor the only inhabitants are Eric, and now myself.

* * *

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer. I do not own Divergence.**

"Your brother wasn't very selfless. In fact, he liked to take and take." Natalie Prior says wistfully. "Caleb? Selfish?" Natalie shakes her head. "No, we never told you but your father and I had another child before you two. His name was Eric." AU—in which Tris is related to Dauntless leader, Eric. Eventual Four/Tris.

* * *

I wake the next morning from a nightmare. I don't thrash when I have a nightmare, and I don't shoot up straight, drenched in sweat. Instead, my eyes snap open, and I am relieved to see the darkness of my new apartment.

The nightmare starts with Eric discovering I am Divergent after I find out he is my brother, and he is true to the phrase 'faction before blood' and then he shoots me in the head. I wake up just as the bullet comes in contact with my brain.

The image of his face distorted into a sneer full of hate and disgust does nothing to calm my nerves. When I try to calm my heartbeat, I exhale loudly, waking Tobias.

"Tris." He says, sounding worried.

"I'm okay. I just had a nightmare. I'm going to take a shower." I feel sweaty and a little shaky.

When I get out of the shower, Tobias slips in while I get dressed. I apply a little bit of makeup and fix my hair.

I stand there idly until Tobias comes out of the bathroom.

He feels like a dream. One of the best things to happen since I cut my palm and dripped blood onto sizzling hot coals.

"You can head to the Pit first," I say. No one knows about us, still.

Tobias comes up to me, brushing my hand with his. Every contact between us feels like a rush of warmth and tingles.

"I have no reason to hide you," he says softly. He clasps our hands together.

I feel like I can take on the world when I'm with him.

—

Instead I'm just taking on the incessant questioning of Christina, Will, and Uriah.

"When did you guys get together?"

"How long?"

"Have you guys _done _anything?" Of course, that one was Christina.

"Is that why you ranked number one?"

I don't know for sure who asked that, but as soon as the question is asked, I'm shouting.

"No! No!" I say. "It's nothing like that. We had feelings for each other, and it really just started happening after Peter, Drew, and…" I swallow. "…And Al attacked me. Tobias saved me. We just wanted to lay low so people wouldn't think he played favorites. I swear to you guys, it's not like that."

"Hey, we believe you." Christina says. "But I still can't believe you didn't tell us, or me!"

I shrug and smile apologetically.

The topic shifts, as Uriah and Will talk about the Dauntless-leader-in-training program. I can see in Will's face that he really wants it. I only hope that he tries his hardest.

"Today is the big day, huh?" Uriah says.

It is for everyone. Today I will officially meet Max and then in the days to come, I will meet all the other faction leaders to formally introduce myself.

Christina will be trained by Lauren on coaching others, what to actually teach, and how to administer the simulations test.

Uriah and Will are also meeting with Max, they will be questioned on what they want to do for Dauntless, and they will be trained physically and mentally again, tracking their improvement from the beginning of training to the end.

I almost can't believe how far we've come.

Since training initiates is no longer Tobias' immediate job, he is working in the Control Room again. After he eats, I see him get up and walk towards me.

He places a hand on my back, leaning down to talk into my ear.

I notice that all conversation at the table has ceased.

I can feel the light pressure of his hand and the warmth spreads throughout me.

"I'll see you later. Duty calls. Good luck today," he murmurs and then exits the room.

When he's left the room, I notice everyone staring.

"You guys are going to have to get used to it, you know?" I state, taking the last bite of my food.

"Still a little weird." Christina says.

Uriah hums and smiles widely. "Yeah, you could be with me you know."

I say nothing but laugh. I know Uriah's not serious. I've seen the goggly eyes Uriah and Marlene give each other.

"We should probably go find out where to go to meet Max." Will says. He looks excited. I feel happy for him. I can't help but feel grateful to Eric for listening to me.

I nod and agree. We all bid Christina bye who goes to see Lauren and then we make our way out the Pit. Before we can actually reach the hallway, we're stopped by Eric.

"Heading to see Max, I take it." He states, inclining his head down a hallway. "Follow me."

So we follow Eric. I notice how Will suddenly looks tall and sturdy. He'll match well as a leader.

Uriah gives me a smile, and I smile back, almost colliding into Eric who suddenly stops.

He turns back and looks at me with a sharp glance. My smile drops. A cold and distant Eric cannot be a good one.

"So, Max is inside. We're still waiting on one more… Peter, I believe. Tris will go in first then."

I take a deep breath, and Uriah gives me a pat on the back. Will's smile looks a little forced, I can see the nervousness has finally set in.

When I walk into the office, Max is sitting behind the desk, typing something on the computer. I don't say anything, and I sit down in the chairs across for him waiting for him to finish.

I wonder if this is a tactic, showing power and authority as I wait patiently and silently.

He pulls a folder out from a drawer, and I know it is mine. He hums, still not properly indicating that he is aware of my presence. He flips through some papers in my folder, scanning them for information.

I feel like I've been sitting here for five minutes.

Ten minutes go by. Fifteen.

"A little bit young to be an ambassador." He says, and I clench my hands in my lap. "A tad bit on the girly side as well."

You're graying, I want to say. A little too old to be running Dauntless. I don't say anything.

"You must be of some worth if you ranked number one though."

He is testing me. I want to punch him in the face for ridiculing me.

He reads something, writes something down on another paper, and lets me wait for him to finish.

"But I do acknowledge your resistance. Clenched fists?" He asks, snapped the folders shut, glancing pointedly at my fists. "A little noticeable. You will have to work on your ability to be ignorant as an ambassador. It is doable." He trails off.

I relax a little. He _was_ testing me. I am so glad I didn't lunge at him in anger.

"You will be monitored for a month by someone responsible. They will report to me at the end of the month, seeing if the job is suited for you. If not, you will have to choose another."

I nod, and he hands me a different folder that sits on his desk.

"In this folder, you will find everything you need to know and learn about other factions—or what the factions have told us about theirs. You will study the cues of body language and learning restraint of resorting to violent behavior. More important things in there."

I hardly want to ask how often a Dauntless ambassador tries to resort to violence to solve something.

* * *

It feels weird to go home to an apartment alone. I've been so used to being around the Dauntless chatter that the silence in my apartment is almost unwelcoming right now. If I stay home, I will think too much about things that I may never solve.

As I head down to the Pit to see who's there, I pass the Control Room, which probably is not authorized to me but I peek my head inside.

To my surprise, Tobias is in there alone. It feels strange to see him on a computer, so tech savvy.

"Tobias." I call out as I enter the room. He whips around fast and closes something on the computer in lightning speed. I don't get a chance to catch what's on it.

"Tris, hey." He looked uptight when he heard me call out but upon seeing me, he looks more relaxed. It feels like he's hiding something, but I say nothing. I can't pry when I have secrets to hide.

He can have his secrets too. For now. He'll tell me when he's ready. I will tell him when I'm ready. …Or when I have figured out if it is even true.

"When are you done here?" I ask.

Tobias shrugs. "I can be done now."

He finishes up something on the computer and smiles at me, gesturing with his hand for me to exit the room with him. I walk in step beside him yet allow him to lead.

We end up leaving the compound, jumping on the train. He sits down beside the door at the last cart. When I go to sit beside him, he grabs my hand and pulls me down to his lap. Contact between the two of us always leaves me shivering, even though I can feel the warmth of his chest against my back.

I'm scared of nothing, of something, so I turn around in his lap, pressing our chests together. I kiss him lightly and then rest my forehead in the hollow of his neck, focusing on his breathing.

I can forget about a lot of things when I'm wrapped in Tobias' arms.

Minutes pass by as the train keeps humming along the tracks. I feel Tobias shift, and I look up, knowing that it is time to jump off.

When we do, we're at a field. I recognize it and let out a laugh.

"You're taking me here? To the ferris wheel?"

He smiles.

"We haven't been on a proper date yet."

I'm touched.

"Are we going to climb it again?"

Tobias chuckles. I'm only teasing him. I didn't notice before but Tobias is wearing a backpack. He sets it down on the ground and opens it up, pulling out a blanket to lay on the grass.

He pats the ground next to him and lays down, so I lay beside him.

We remain in a comfortable silence. Comfortable because Tobias manages to make me feel safe and loved and warm.

My thoughts are still all over the place.

Earlier when I left Max's office, Peter, Will, Uriah, and Eric were waiting outside for me. Peter was smug yet I could see light bruises forming around his neck. I wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for Peter slightly rubbing it. Eric looked annoyed. Will and Uriah looked pissed beyond belief. Before I could say anything, Eric gestures them to go into the room, and they obey.

"_Did something happen…?" I ask, feeling like I'm missing a piece to some puzzle._

"_Nothing of importance. Peter goaded your friends, saying you got number one because you slept your way to the top. He then implicated that you did so with me and Four."_

_I can barely keep my jaw from dropping. I know that Eric is not the type to take cheek from anyone, especially not a new member of Dauntless who hardly means anything._

_Eric shrugs. "I shoved him against the wall in a chokehold and told him if he wanted a leadership position, he should learn something called respect and how to keep his mouth shut." I want to say thank you to that. For defending me. Eric continues, "I didn't do it for you. I don't want people thinking I'm sleeping with a Stiff."_

_I jerk my head in an awkward nod. I'm suddenly glad I didn't say thank you._

"_Also, I am sure Max has approved of you as an ambassador. You have a way of getting into people's business and playing heroine. I will be the person monitoring you for the coming month and introducing you to the other faction leaders. Good luck."_

_I am not sure to be glad and relieved or filled with dread at knowing Eric will be my monitor. Nor am I sure if that was a backhanded compliment from Eric._

"What's on your mind?" Tobias' voice asks. He grabs my hand and runs his fingers over my knuckle. The simple action makes me shiver with delight.

"For the first month as an ambassador, Eric will be monitoring me." I say in return.

"Seems like you won't be able to get away from him."

I hum. Tobias' tone is not hidden with malice. It is nonchalant. He doesn't seem to have much of a problem with Eric. I suddenly wonder what it would be like for the two to actually get along. If Eric is my brother, surely some relationship has to bud between the two.

"Not anytime soon, no. What's on your mind?" I ask him back.

Tobias sighs, and I prepare myself for a long story.

"The whole hostile number one position and risking factionless society if you don't make it… Dauntless wasn't like this before. They tried to get me to take a leadership position multiple times, and I've turned them down each time because something didn't feel right. I could feel our faction take a shift into a new direction, a downwards spiral."

I know this. Tobias has said something about this before.

"I noticed a correspondence email between the leaders and an unknown source—somewhere outside the faction. I'm trying to hack into it but it's not easy. It's guarded with a lot of hardware and codes."

I didn't know this. I pause, trying to think.

"Erudite." I say. It's logical. Erudite is smart, they would have access to the hardware and be smart enough to have tough codes.

Tobias nods.

"What for?"

Tobias says nothing but there's a grim look on his face.

"I'm not sure. I'm still trying to break into it."

I know nothing about computers, and I wish I could help him.

Erudite and Dauntless combined is lethal. It is multiple Erics in one. Eric who is smart and cunning and dangerous and powerful. The combination of the two is enough to leave me in shivers, wondering. I can't think of a reason why our faction would partner with them.

I shake the thought out of my head. Perhaps Erudite had a simple question because they can't keep their curiosity to themselves they had to ask.

I don't say anything, in case I'm right.

Instead, I lace our fingers tighter together.

"I don't want to talk about that, or anything else really. I just want to enjoy this moment with you." I say, leaning against Tobias and kissing him.

I'm still working on my fear. I fear intimacy, and sex, and all of what Tobias wants from me. But I'm tackling it head-on. One step at a time. Or kiss.

* * *

For my first trip as ambassador, I meet the faction leader, Jack Kang of Candor. He's the first faction leader I am going to meet. On the train ride there Eric accompanies me, yet I find that I am too distracted thinking about what it will be like to see my parents again when I visit Abnegation. To hug them and tell them I love them.

"Time to go," Eric states curtly and jumping off the moving train effortlessly. I've perfected the motion as well too and land soundly.

When we get full view of the large building, I think I see Jack Kang standing in front of it. Large letters appear above him. MERC IS MART.

When we greet, Jack comments on my young age which isn't new. I take it all in stride, remembering Max's words about indifference and ignorance. Even when Jack's brutal honestly makes me want to throw clenched fists.

He gives me a tour of the place, which seems to take forever due to the largeness. Just the bare essentials, if I were to visit and request to see him—where to go then.

When the visit is finally over, I'm not sure whether to thank him or just say bye since if I thank him, it would be similar to a lie by omission. I'm not thankful for the two hour long tour. It made my feet hurt, but I do not want to insult him by saying nothing.

Eric cuts in, saying we'll be leaving now. We appreciate you coming to meet the new ambassador.

I can't help but think the rest of this faction leader greeting trip is going to drag.

When we ride the train back home to Dauntless headquarters, I find myself standing by the open door, taking a glance at my surroundings.

I would engage in conversation with Eric but his posture is rigid and straight, which tells me he doesn't want to talk much.

I'm ready to curl up in bed and sleep. The past few days have been spent studying the papers Max gave to me, reading body language and learning how to feign ignorance. I've been burying myself in work, that I would appreciate a good night's sleep. A sleep without the nightmares.

The idea is lost when Eric tells me to follow him when we get to headquarters.

I follow him, wondering what he has to say because lately he has had nothing to say to me. He takes me across the Pit, where I see Christina and Will sitting together and I wave at them before continuing on, to the elevator, to the floor of where we live, and to the door of his apartment.

Eric doesn't have a key to his apartment like I do. He has a pin pad to gain access to his apartment. He shields the pin pad with his body, punches in the code, and then lets me in.

Like last time, he gestures me to sit on the couch in the living room.

"Is there something you have to say?" I ask, feeling nervous. I don't know what he could say. He could say he knows I'm Divergent and is debating whether he should kill me or turn me in. I don't think it would be much of a debate on his end though. He probably would kill me as soon as he knew. He could talk about Tobias and say he knows Tobias is digging through confidential files which counts as an act of treason. He's going to kill Tobias, yet tell me so I can live with fear and terror.

Instead, Eric says something entirely different than those two worries.

"I took a sample of your blood." He says. I nod, awkwardly. I know that. I was there.

"New protocol, yes, I know." I say. I don't state the obvious that I was there. He would probably punch me for giving cheek.

"No," he begins. "It's not new protocol. It's not protocol at all."

"Okay." I pause. "I'm not following."

"I used the sample of your blood to cross reference mine. To see if what you said was true."

I frown. "I'm not from Erudite. Can you stop speaking in code or something?"

"Our blood has a 51% match."

I stop for a second, looking at Eric's face to see if he's joking around but he looks completely serious.

"That means…." I trail off.

"It means I'm your brother." Eric completes, confirming my suspicions.

I laugh awkwardly. I've been wanting this news for how long? Since my mom came to visit and flipped my world upside down. I don't know what to say or what to do now that I know.

Knowing that Eric is my brother changes things. I don't feel fear of what he'll do to me. I want to be his friend, be his sister, and learn about the years he spent away from us. I want my family back, and now Eric is the closest thing to family.

The saying is faction before blood, but I've always felt so strongly about my family. I could never hurt them.

I jerk my hand out in front of me, towards Eric.

"I'm Beatrice Prior." It's the first time I've used my real name in a long time, and it feels good. To introduce myself to my brother using my real name. "It's nice to meet you."

"Eric…" He breathes out slightly, relaxing his shoulders. "Eric Prior."

He takes my hand and clasps it in his, shaking it.

I have a feeling that this changes things for Eric too.

—

I'm still in Eric's apartment. After we get over our initial awkwardness, he sets out to the kitchen to grab me a drink. When he comes back, it's a glass of something that isn't water. Alcohol.

I don't refuse it. I think that with the day I've had, I could use it.

We sit there, sipping our drinks.

I clear my throat trying to get rid of the uncomfortable silence.

"How long have you known?"

"That we are siblings? Two days." Eric responds, taking a swig of his drink.

Two days… That sort of explains his silence and distance from me as he monitors me during my visit to Candor. Him defending me, saying he didn't want people to think he was sleeping with a Stiff, with his sister.

"You're awfully accepting this. If someone, other than my mom and dad, told me that they were my brother or I had another brother, I wouldn't believe them."

I carefully phrase it. It's a question of sorts that I'm hoping will give me a glimpse into Eric's past.

"That's another story for next time. Tell me about your brother." He winces slightly. If I weren't intent on figuring Eric out and studying his face, I wouldn't have caught the grimace. "Our brother." He corrects himself.

"Caleb? I've told you a little about him before. He transferred to Erudite. Back when we were in Abnegation, I thought he was the perfect role model of a selfless person. I was as shocked as anybody else when he chose another faction. I don't know what to say about him. I'm still a little mad since I've last visited him."

I think of Caleb giving into knowledge and becoming arrogant with pride. My dad coming from Erudite. My mom holding a baby in her arms and passing the little boy to an Erudite couple, tears running down her cheeks.

"What's it like in Erudite?" I ask.

Eric laughs bitterly. I think he might be a little drunk. I look at my drink which I have barely touched.

"Like school," he says. "School all over again. Everyone reads and studies and wants to know more. They get greedy with knowledge and want to be number one, competing with hundreds and hundreds of people."

"Would you have preferred Abnegation?" I ask quietly. I watch Eric's eyes harden, as if remembering something from the past.

He's also quiet when he responds back and says, "Maybe. I might have been happier."

I can detect the unspoken words. _Even if I was a stiff. Even if I was reserved. _And then…_ I would be home. I would be with family._

I forget about everything for a moment. The secret messages between Dauntless and Erudite that Eric might know about. I forget about being Divergent and dying at any moment. I forget about Tobias and my anger at Caleb. I forget about missing my parents. All I can think is I have family, I'm home.

* * *

_To be continued…_

Sorry it's a little short guys. I would add more, but I like ending the chapter on this note. As always, review and let me know what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer. I do not own Divergent.**

"Your brother wasn't very selfless. In fact, he liked to take and take." Natalie Prior says wistfully. "Caleb? Selfish?" Natalie shakes her head. "No, we never told you but your father and I had another child before you two. His name was Eric." AU—in which Tris is related to Dauntless leader, Eric. Eventual Four/Tris.

* * *

My trip to Amity is far more entertaining than Candor. I witness firsthand how Amity resolves tension and problems. By talking incessantly until they reach a conclusion. I don't understand how this resolves conflict, but Eric tells me this is their way and it works for them.

Speaking of Eric, not much has changed since we last spoke—when he told me we were, in fact, siblings. He is still the same Eric but sometimes I catch his stern expression softening, sometimes I see a nicer side of him than I've ever seen before.

I think he's still battling the idea of a family.

He likes to call me Beatrice when we're alone. I think it's to make up for the time lost. I don't complain because it makes us feel closer. It feels like I'm home with family back in Abnegation. When we're around other people, it's a different story. We stay distant, as always, and try to act as neutral as possible. We don't want any sort of news of us to break out. We don't know how people will react nor if they will be too accepting of everything—considering my mom was the one who told me all this and the conversation we had remains a secret, even to Tobias.

How would we explain living in separate families? Different factions?

I'm not sure how to tell Tobias this. I'm scared of his reaction to the truth, to me keeping secrets, nor will I know if he will be accepting of it. I hate keeping this secret from him, but I know Tobias and Eric do not get along. I don't know the extent of it, but I don't want to risk a growing relationship between Eric and I. Every time I bring up Tobias around Eric, (I try hard not to) I see a glint in Eric's eyes that screams dangerous. I don't know if Tobias feels that same way.

My thoughts get interrupted as the chatter from Amity gets louder, and I look up at Eric who stands beside me with arms crossed. He is still intimidating as ever in this crowd of Amity with their smiles, laughter, red and yellow clothes. I notice a few girls glance at him, look back to their friends, and giggle.

I laugh a little at this, and Eric looks at me with a questioning look but I just shrug with a small smile.

Gradually the room stands together, the chattering has stopped, and it's clear that they have made a decision.

Johanna Reyes, who is not necessarily their leader—Eric told me beforehand that Amity does not recognize a leader—but their spokesperson tells everyone the agreed upon decision. And that's that. The acceptance of the Amity faction is so startling. Everyone just nods their head and agrees with it.

"I still don't understand it," I mumble to Eric as Johanna makes her way over. Similar to Candor, I am given a tour of the compound.

When it is over, we are standing in the dining area where everyone eats. Johanna welcomes us to eat before our next trip to Erudite.

Eric accepts the offer, and I find myself seated at an empty table as Eric grabs some food. I keep my eyes down on the table so I don't attract as much attention, but I look up when someone sits beside me.

It's not Eric. It's Robert. Susan's brother, Robert, from Abnegation.

During the Choosing Ceremony I was too absorbed in my own thoughts to listen to what other people from my faction chose. Now I remember fleetingly that Robert had chosen Amity instead of Abnegation. Susan must have stayed in Abnegation.

Before I can stop my mouth from closing, Robert smiles and hugs me. I stiffen at the unexpected touch and forget that the Amity greet this way. Johanna Reyes didn't hug Eric or I, probably because she knew better than to initiate touch with Eric especially. I remember thinking that if I stayed in Abnegation, I would probably get married to Robert.

"Beatrice, it's good to see you." He looks at my black clothing, the tattoo that brings out my collarbone, the eyeliner that draws out my eyes. "Dauntless suits you."

I look at his red and yellow clothes, the smile on his face, and the warmth in his eyes. How easily he has adapted to Amity that he initiates touch. I can't think of what to say back, so I return the compliment.

"Amity suits you well too."

Before I can say much of anything else, there is a clatter of two trays hitting the table. I look up at Eric who all but glares at Robert.

Robert smiles anyway.

"Well, I better get going. I promised I'd play a game of cards with my friends. I just wanted to say hi."

I watch him leave the table to go sit at a table with some other people. They joke around, laughing, playfully nudging shoulders.

"Who's that?" Eric asks, after a bite of food.

"A friend," I say. "He's from Abnegation."

Eric keeps eating but looks at me to continue. It's a signal for me to keep going, for him to learn more about me. I continue, but there's a thought in the back of my mind that wants to learn more about him.

"He lived near us. He has a sister, Susan, who is still with Abnegation. I used to think that if I were to stay there in Abnegation, I would have gotten married to him."

I look back at Eric who slides my tray of food over to me. His expression is neutral.

"Eat," he says. "You're going to have a long day today since we'll be heading to Erudite right after this."

* * *

I have mixed feelings about heading to Erudite. I remember my last visit, going to seek Caleb and talking to Jeanine Matthews. Her calculated words and snobby attitude as if she knew everything, and I knew nothing.

I think about Tobias coming across confidential emails between Dauntless and Erudite, dangerous secrets that may be inside.

"Beatrice." Eric says calmly as we walk side by side to Erudite.

Instead of taking the train, I ask if we can walk. I don't tell him I need to get my thoughts together. The rush of the wind from the train and the speed makes me lose my thoughts. I lie saying I need fresh air.

"Yes?" I ask.

"When we get to Erudite, you'll be given a tour as always. Jeanine Matthews, who I am sure you've met before, will be conducting the tour for the most part. You need to be on your best behavior. She does not take unintelligent people lightly and will most likely try to tarnish your occupation as ambassador if she feels strongly about it."

Again, I am not sure if Eric is warning me or telling me I'm stupid. It really could go both ways with him.

He continues, "After the tour I have other business to conduct with her. During that time, you are …free to do whatever you please. Stay in the area, and we'll head back together."

I nod. I know Eric is telling me that I have free reign to visit Caleb if I want.

I don't know what to say to him if I do go seek him out again, so I shake the thought out of my head for now.

I am bracing myself to see Jeanine again when we head through Erudite headquarters. I find myself staring in clothes of blue with everyone wearing glasses that they probably don't even need.

I notice someone walking towards us quickly, but it's not Jeanine. It's a young man who looks out of breath, wearing blue slacks and a white shirt with thick-rimmed glasses.

"Hello, Jeanine had an important matter to attend to really quickly so she sent me to conduct this tour. My name is Alex. If you have questions during the tour, just ask. If not, follow me." He says.

I don't complain. I feel less pressure now that Jeanine is not conducting the tour, and I am hardly paying attention since I've been to Erudite before.

When the tour's over, Alex leaves us standing around for a moment. He's checking his watch as if he's waiting for something.

"Is there a reason why we're just standing here like ducks?" Eric says, irritated. I know he has a prior appointment and probably doesn't want to be late. Or he wants to leave here as soon as possible.

"She'll be here any second now," Alex murmurs.

I'm about to ask who but then I see her. Blonde hair, head held high, nose stuck in the air. It's Jeanine Matthews, strutting towards us with two lackeys walking a step behind her.

I didn't forget that Eric had a meeting, but I did forget that that entailed me being left alone.

I sneak a peek at Eric, and he looks less irritated but there's something else about his facial expression that seems off.

When Jeanine reaches us, she thanks Alex for his hospitality and sends him off. She then turns to me with a critical smile.

"Beatrice," she says with a tilt of her head, calculating. I think of gears churning in her head like a machine. Or robot. "I apologize, it's Tris, isn't it?"

I nod, with a fake smile. Her voice seems familiar to me but I can't figure out how. I've met her before, and I've talked to her before but something in the back of my mind tugs at my memories, waiting to spring forward.

"Hello." I say, and she then turns to Eric which I am grateful for. I can't hold a conversation with her right now. The tugging is more prominent. I think about her tight-lipped expression when I came to Erudite uninvited. Her cunning words trying to dig a secret out of me.

Her voice and tone which makes me feel lacking in intelligence.

"Eric, I trust you've been well."

"Jeanine." Eric says. His expression is straight-faced, and I see the Eric who shuts off his emotions.

"Come follow me." She says. "There's something we must discuss."

She turns without waiting for a response and begins the walk to what I assume will be her office. Eric hesitates and turns to me. He opens his mouth to say something but thinks twice about it and follows her.

I stand there, feeling inadequate. And then I just turn around and walk back to the train to go home.

I don't wait around, and I don't go see Caleb.

—

I lay in bed, awake, beside Tobias. We're not sleeping. Instead we enjoy each other's company and silence. It's not yet nightfall but I feel heavy with thoughts.

I think about my day, and I tell Tobias about my trip to Amity, witnessing how they communicate and solve problems. I explain my confusion and annoyance at how they shout and talk endlessly for an agreement. It's odd that Tobias and Eric both murmur the same thing to me about Amity: it's their way. It works for them.

He tells me about his day, which he spent mostly with Zeke and Uriah who is content with his leadership training but not sure if it is right for him. Tobias thinks he will change his mind eventually and discover his true passion. As much as I feel a little guilty for thinking it, I can't help but think that this will be good for Will.

Tobias tells me that he's heard through people that the Dauntless leaders have been impressed with Will's ability and potential. The other Dauntless leaders are impressed with Peter and his cunning, power-seeking, potential for the future of Dauntless. Which is also known as Dauntless' potential downfall to destruction and idealizing who is stronger. Less fearful.

I think about Peter who fears being second. Who despises those better than him. I would love to see his face if he discovered the secret to it all would be to be Divergent.

I think about how cowardly he was to try to throw me over the Chasm, to try to kill me because he felt threatened. Before I can stop myself, I'm lost in the memory, trying to escape it.

A flash of nothing, darkness. Heavy breathing. My hands feel clammy.

A flash before the chaos started. Two people talking. Hands grabbing at me. Me fighting but barely managing. Divergent.

My name being called.

Al's voice. My heart stopping. Feeling betrayed. Two voices—a male and female. Familiar voices. Eric.

A plot to end something. Kill someone. Multiple someones.

Divergents.

My name again.

"Tris!" I'm jolted to the side by a shake. "TRIS."

It's Tobias, sitting up straight next to me. He has a hand on my shoulder and a concerned look on his face.

"Are you okay? You froze up, and you started shaking."

I look down at my hands that are still shaking, and the thought of the revelation hitting me. I let out a deep breath, remembering that Tobias was saying my name. Not Eric.

"I—I forgot. But I remember now."

"What? What do you remember?"

"I need time. I need time to think, Tobias."

And I spring up from my spot on the bed, racing out the door, not looking back even as Tobias calls my name.

* * *

Out of all the places I run to, it's the place by the ferris wheel. I sit in one of the carts, looking at the field beyond the fence wondering what's out there.

The sun has long since started to go down, and I hope that Tobias isn't furious with me for running out. I feel weak and unable to deal with his anger if he explodes.

I think about what I discovered—remembered.

Before I was attacked over the Chasm, I overheard two voices. Those two voices were plotting to take down Divergents. The two voices were Jeanine… and Eric.

I go over my facts.

Eric does not know I am Divergent.

What does it change for him if he discovers I am Divergent?

Do I die? Or does he save me?

My mom told me not to tell anyone about being Divergent. Would she change her mind when she discovers who Eric is? Or would she strongly reinforce not to tell anyone?

I put my head in my hands to relieve myself of the oncoming headache.

I believe that, for now, I am safe. But it does not ease the tightness in my chest or lump in my throat.

"Beatrice." I hear a deep voice call out. I snap my head up, despite knowing that only one person calls me Beatrice here.

It's Eric. He stands just outside the cart, stares at me with my head in my hands, and then joins me to sit across from me in the tight space.

I don't know what to say, but if I say nothing, won't he suspect something is askew? How can I act normal when he's plotting to kill the group in which I belong.

I haven't moved much and as I'm about to break the silence and lift my head, I feel the slightest contact. A brush of his hand touching mine and then lifting my head up to look at him straight in the eye.

He doesn't look mad. Or angry. Instead there is an emotion reflected in his eyes that I can't recognize.

I'm surprised though. It's the first time he's initiated contact like this. Gentle, soothing contact as an older brother would to console his little sister.

His voice is rough when he speaks again.

"Did something happen back in Erudite?"

I shake my head, trying to look away. I feel so stupid and cowardly. I think about how un-Dauntless I am being. Eric's hands hold my head in place, forcing me to look straight in his eyes again. He looks irritated now.

"Did you talk to Caleb? I swear if he said something stupid, I'll go talk to him." He probably doesn't mean talk. He means threaten.

I realize then that Eric is not irritated at me, and I speak up.

"Nothing happened, Eric. I didn't go see Caleb. I just wanted to go home." I'm brutally honest. I want to go back home where home was safe and less dangerous, less stressful. Home was with my family, and even if I made the choice to stay in Abnegation back at the Choosing Ceremony, it would still have been broken up. Caleb would still have chosen Erudite, and I would have never met Eric—not like this with his brotherly affection against my cheek.

He drops his hand and clenches it in his lap.

"I thought something happened to you, Beatrice."

I swallow in response to that. Although he wouldn't admit it, he must have been looking for me and been worried.

He continues, "I know something happened, right before I left to speak with Jeanine."

At the name, I flinch in the slightest and catch the narrowing of his eyes.

"Eric," I say quietly before he can say another thing. "I just don't really want to talk about that or me right now."

He's quiet for a moment. I can see his Erudite roots showing as I imagine gears spinning rapidly in his brain to figure out this puzzle that he cannot solve or riddle he cannot answer.

"Okay," he says, acceptingly. "What do you want to talk about then?"

"You." I blurt out without thinking. Eric can tell I'm surprised by my own answer and chuckles. I smile meekly. "I know nothing about you. I want to know the years I missed as you grew up."

Eric composes himself for a moment, and I remember the time he told me we were siblings in his apartment. We drank, and I asked him how he could be so accepting. He said that story was for another time.

"The couple that took me in never told me of my true blood or heritage. They raised me as their own and never once told me that I wasn't actually theirs. I'll admit growing up in Erudite made me smart and knowledge hungry. I read all kinds of books: literature, medical, history, biology… It wasn't long before I realized our hair colors and eye colors didn't match." He starts.

"Mom told me that as a kid you loved to read." I smile. "Big, heavy textbooks." Talking about my mom makes me miss her.

He smiles back and continues, "I overhead a conversation between them after coming home from a study group. They were talking about how I looked nothing like them, and people would start to talk." The smile on his face has died down, and he looks irritated. His hands are fists in his lap, and I can see the veins bulging out.

"I ignored it—thought nothing of it—until my aunt, or well not my aunt, came to the house and said people were starting to speculate. I got mad and shouted. They were talking about me like I was some sort of big secret." He laughs harshly. "It's because I was. I was adopted from _Abnegation_ parents. Out of all the factions, it was Abnegation. They practically tell me in school to not trust the Abnegation, how rotten they are. You can only imagine how I felt."

At this, I reach out and brush my hand against his clenched fists, willing him to relax. He does a tiny bit.

"The couple and aunt couldn't really do anything about it, but they said if I stayed in Erudite then I would live my whole life being talked about. They were trying to make me choose a different way, a different faction at the Choosing Ceremony to avoid it all. I was so mad and pissed that I had already made the decision. I chose Dauntless as soon as I found out my life was a lie." He pauses. "I don't regret it, and I have not talked to that couple since."

I don't miss how he never calls the couple his parents when they raised him and fed him in their house. Nor do I miss him saying he hasn't talked to the couple since. I don't miss him omitting the fact that he still speaks to the aunt. I briefly wonder who that aunt may be and what she has done for or to Eric that he still _wants_ to talk to her.

I wrap my hand tighter against his fist.

"I'm your family now, Eric." I say, looking up at him. "You don't have to worry. I won't go anywhere if you don't."

He nods, looking down at our joined hands, and I wonder if this is an empty promise made after all I have remembered today.

Then I hear another voice calling out my name.

"Tris!" It's in the distance, and I cannot see who it is in the darkness. "Tris, is that you?"

It's Tobias.

I look at Eric in shock. Tobias cannot know about us. His reaction… I'm not prepared for it, nor do I know if it's a secret worth letting out. I can imagine Tobias' response saying: can you even trust him? It's _faction_ before blood, not blood before faction. You're going to die before you know it. He's going to _kill_ you.

We both jump up from the cart in the ferris wheel and get down. He does an oddly brotherly thing as he gets down first, turns around, puts his hands on my waist and helps me jump down, spinning me in a half circle in the process.

It's not something that I need help with. He knows this, but I can't help but giggle. This is not something Caleb ever did for me. In Abnegation, he was pretty serious. The last time we played together was so long ago…

It's a little surprising how much the dynamic between Eric and I have shifted. My brother, it puts a smile on my face as much as the person he can be makes me fearful.

We walk toward the direction of Tobias' voice. When we start to make out his figure, we jog to him.

"Hey," I smile apologetically. "Sorry for running off. There was just something on my mind, and I needed a quiet place to think."

It's a poor excuse, and I hope Tobias accepts it.

He says nothing, but his facial expression doesn't look happy as he turns toward Eric.

"Why are you with _him?_" He says.

I open my mouth to speak up, but Eric beats me to it.

"Well, I was making sure your little girlfriend didn't run into any trouble since she decided to run off from Erudite during my meeting."

I'm a little amazed at how easily Eric can turn this switch on and off. Cold, ruthless Eric emerges just as there was the kind, considerate Eric.

"Is this true?" Tobias asks me.

"Yes, it is." I turn to Eric. "I'm sorry again. I should have waited." I give Eric a little wave and an apologetic smile and walk towards Tobias. "I'll see you around."

As Tobias and I turn around to head back to the compound, Eric speaks up with his arms crossed.

"In two days we'll be going to Abnegation early in the morning." My heart skips a beat, and I think about seeing my parents again. Holding my mom close, never letting go. I whirl around to look at Eric to get a glimpse of what he's feeling. His expression doesn't betray any of his emotions.

"Brush up on your ambassador skills, Beatrice." He stresses ambassador, and I remember I will have to act professional. I nod, almost forgetting he just called me Beatrice in front of Tobias.

I smile at Eric again and join Tobias in his walk. Luckily, Tobias says nothing about the name slip. Maybe he didn't notice or wasn't even paying attention.

"It seems like he's been a bit nicer to you." He comments but says nothing else.

"He has." I nod, agreeing.

"Did you get to think about what you needed to think about?"

I nod again, although it's not necessarily true.

"I thought about it. There's nothing I can do right now."

I can't help but feel the atmosphere has gotten awkward, so I tug at Tobias' hand to come to a stop and he faces me.

"I'm really sorry for running out on you. I know more than anything, I always have you to go to."

He doesn't say anything, just opens up his arms and hugs me tightly.

"Thank you." I murmur into his chest, feeling grateful yet at the same time guilty.

I hate keeping secrets from him.

* * *

_To be continued…_

—

**Author's note.**

I'm sorry for the long wait! Classes have started up again, and I feel like I'm drowning. (And I've also read a couple different book series/trilogy as well.) I'm guilty. I made sure I was absolutely content with this chapter before posting.

So, to summarize this chapter, we get a glimpse of Eric's past as well as the relationship budding between Eric and Tris. Some turmoil and growing resentment from Tobias (as much as Tris has a life—let's remember that Tobias does too) which will be brought to light in the next couple chapters. Eric is also a bad guy. We can't forget that.

And once again, I'd like to thank you guys for the love and support! Don't forget to review and let me know what you think. I'll do my best to update soon. We're about to get into some of the good parts.


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